Since 1977, the National Center on Institutions and Alternatives (NCIA) has provided sentencing advocacy and criminal justice services to defense attorneys, defendants, inmates, and court systems throughout the country. We have worked with more than 20,000 defendants in all 50 states and in five foreign countries. When assisting defense attorneys handling sentencing of their clients, NCIA provides assistance by designing individualized sentencing data reports, videos, and other supplementary materials. Our alternative sentencing proposals frequently include the use of creative community service that draws on the offender’s strengths and background, substance abuse counseling, work-release, home confinement, and community confinement.
In addition to sentencing advocacy, we also provide parole release advocacy, institutional designation and transfer, and release planning. When assisting court systems, NCIA has developed and implemented sentencing advocacy programs in 15 states and trained thousands of public defenders, probation officers, and other sentencing advocates.